By Joel Lefevre

Two sides seeking a place in the top eight of the Champions League will square off on Wednesday as Liverpool travel to Stade Velodrome in France for a date with Marseille on matchday seven.

The Reds are just below on of the automatic places in the last 16 on goal difference despite a 1-0 win at Inter on matchday six, while OM are three points below them in 16th following a narrow 3-2 triumph over Union Saint-Gilloise.

Match Preview

Repeating as Premier League champions appears out of sight for Arne Slot’s men, but making a Champions League run might salvage what has been a disappointing start to 2026 for his side.

Liverpool have dropped points in four of their five contests this year, with their only triumph being a convincing 4-1 win over third-tier side Barnsley in the FA Cup.

In the Champions League, they have dropped points in only one game played on French soil, losing 2-1 in group play at the Parc des Princes versus Paris Saint-Germain in 2018.

Credit: The Daily Mail

Meanwhile, 16 of their last 19 matches in this phase of the tournament have ended with the Reds claiming maximum points, while the Merseyside club have lost just two of their eight Champions League group outings versus French opposition, winning their two prior visits to the Velodrome against Marseille by a combined margin of 6-1.

A win on matchday seven might be enough to put them into one of those top eight places, while it would equal their longest away winning run in the competition from last season (three).

In 10 of their previous 11 Champions League away games, Liverpool have conceded a goal or fewer, a run dating back to the 2022-23 campaign.

Credit: UEFA

The Opposition

Credit: Chronicle Live

Similar to the Reds, Marseille have beaten up on weaker sides but have not been super consistent domestically throughout the league campaign.

The first-ever French side to lift this trophy have won their last two competitive games by a combined margin of 14-2, though nine of those goals came against a side not even in one of the top five French tiers in Bayeux.

Roberto De Zerbi has never lost a home game as a manager against Liverpool, with the former Brighton & Hove Albion boss suffering just one defeat in five Premier League meetings versus the Reds.

Marseille have a three-point cushion in the race for a Champions League play-off berth, ending a three-match losing run away from home at this tournament with their matchday six victory in Belgium.

Victory for them on Wednesday would extend their winning run in this competition to three matches for the first time since the 2010-11 campaign.

Their come-from-behind win over Newcastle (2-1) on matchday five ended a 12-match winless run for Les Olympiens in Europe versus English opposition.

Team News

On the Liverpool side, Alexander Isak is out with a broken fibula, Conor Bradley is recovering from knee surgery, Giovanni Leoni is dealing with a cruciate ligament tear, and Stefan Bajcetic is on the mend from his surgery.

Dominik Szoboszlai, who netted their only goal versus Inter, has scored in three of his team’s previous four Champions League affairs, while Mohamed Salah, who is back from the African Cup of Nations, has just one goal against a French side in this tournament, scoring it versus Lille.

Ibrahima Konate is a doubt after missing training on Tuesday due to personal matters, though it is yet to be confirmed whether he will be a part of the Matchday Squad.

In the transfer window this month, Marseille sold Robinio Vaz to Roma, Pol Lirola joined Hellas Verona, and injured goalkeeper Rubén Blanco was released, while Nayef Aguerd is questionable with fitness issues.

Igor Paixão has four goals in their last five European affairs, as he scored once, while Ligue 1’s leading goalscorer and Englishman Mason Greenwood netted a brace in their matchday six triumph.

Predicted XI

Liverpool: Alisson; Frimpong, Konaté, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Szoboszlai, Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Ekitike, Wirtz

Marseille: Rulli; Weah, Pavard, Balerdi, Medina, Emerson; Højbjerg, Vermeeren; Greenwood, Aubameyang, Paixão

Pre- Match Verdicts

A place in the top eight for each is still a possibility, though the Reds appear a little gun-shy and, like their upcoming opponents, are rather inconsistent.

Similarly, Marseille have some attacking pedigree, but against an improved defensive unit of late, they may not find the openings as easy to come by as they’ve had at the Coupe de France.

Prediction: Liverpool 1-1 Marseille